The Queen Mother of Ho-Dome in the Asogli Traditional Area, Mama Atrato II, has expressed optimism that the abolition of the delegate system in Council of State elections will pave the way for the election of representatives who are genuinely committed to the development of the Volta Region.
Speaking at JoyNews’ Impact Makers Foundation “Democracy Is Not for Sale” forum, the traditional leader said the removal of the delegate system offers an opportunity to address what she described as the growing influence of money in the selection of public office holders.
While lamenting what she characterised as widespread vote buying in previous Council of State elections, Mama Atrato II said she hoped the changes would ensure that capable and development-oriented individuals are chosen to represent the region.
“Now that the delegate system is abolished, let us pray and see if we can get the right people to represent the region,” she said in Ho on Friday, July 31.
According to the Queen Mother, the Volta Region has suffered because many of those entrusted with leadership positions have failed to champion its developmental needs.
She argued that representatives appointed to the Council of State should serve as advocates for their regions by lobbying government and other stakeholders to secure investments and improve public services.
“Most people that we put at certain places don’t know that the region is down in need of so many things,” she said.
She stressed that the primary responsibility of Council of State members is not merely to occupy public office but to ensure that their regions receive the attention and resources necessary for development.
“The Council of State is to lobby for things for the region,” she added.
Mama Atrato II’s remarks followed allegations that previous Council of State elections had been heavily influenced by money.
Drawing on her own experience as a former aspirant, she alleged that delegates received financial inducements to vote for particular candidates, making it difficult for candidates without significant financial resources to compete.
She further claimed that the practice had undermined the integrity of the electoral process and resulted in the election of representatives who were not necessarily the best qualified to serve the interests of the Volta Region.
Although she welcomed reforms to the electoral system, she cautioned that eliminating the delegate structure alone would not completely eradicate vote buying.
“So vote buying has come to stay,” she remarked, while expressing hope that the latest changes would significantly reduce its influence.
The Queen Mother linked the quality of political representation to the developmental challenges confronting the Volta Region.
She questioned whether elected representatives had done enough to improve healthcare, infrastructure and other essential public services.
Referring to conditions in some health facilities, she urged participants at the forum to visit the Volta Regional Hospital and municipal hospitals to appreciate the shortages confronting healthcare providers.
“Go to the regional hospital and see what is there. Go to the municipal hospital. What are politicians doing for us?” she asked.
She commended Edem Agbana, Member of Parliament for Ketu North, for donating his salary towards the procurement of medical equipment for the Volta Regional Hospital, describing the gesture as an example of leadership focused on the welfare of the people.
Mama Atrato II also expressed concern about what she described as the widening development gap between the Volta Region and other parts of the country.
Recalling a recent visit to Bolgatanga, she said she was struck by the level of development she witnessed compared with conditions in her own region.
“I was so much ashamed when I went to Bolga,” she said, suggesting that travelling across the country had highlighted the extent of the disparities.
She further lamented the limited support available to healthcare professionals working in the Volta Region, arguing that doctors and other frontline workers often lacked the encouragement and incentives offered in some other regions.
The Queen Mother urged politicians, traditional leaders and public officials to place the interests of the Volta Region ahead of personal gain.
She said the region needed leaders who would work collaboratively with traditional authorities, lobby for development projects and improve the living conditions of residents rather than focus on enriching themselves.
“Our politicians are there for themselves, and they are never satisfied,” she said.
She expressed hope that reforms to the Council of State election process would result in the emergence of credible representatives capable of advancing the region’s interests.
“And we pray that when the vote-buying system is abolished, we will get the rightful people to be put at certain places and to lobby for the region to be developed,” she said.
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